Russia Appeals Paralympics Doping Ban

Russia's Paralympic Committee has filed an appeal against a decision by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to ban Russian athletes from participating in the September 7-18 games in Rio de Janeiro.

The Russian committee announced on August 15 that it has filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and that a hearing in the matter has been scheduled for August 21.

A decision could be expected on August 22, the committee added.

"We expect success for our appeal and a [favorable] decision by the [CAS]," Vladimir Lukin, president of the Russian Paralympic Committee, told Rossia 1 television.

Earlier this month, the IPC banned Russia's entire team of nearly 270 athletes because Russia had engaged in state-organized doping of athletes.

IPC President Philip Craven said the Russian team was part of a "broken system" and expressed sympathy for those who had avoided doping.

Although the International Olympic Committee did not impose such a blanket ban, more than 100 Russian athletes were barred from competing in the Rio Olympic Games in the wake of a report by the World Anti-Doping Agency describing systematic doping in Russia involving the main state security agency and the country’s main anti-doping laboratory.

Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax